Wire harnesses are pre-formed groupings of two or more wires routed through a structure or element. Harnesses, or other routing elements, may be used to ensure that electronic components in a machine, such as electronic control modules (ECMs) or sensors, are properly connected. The wires, or connections, used to connect the components may be of different lengths and each wire may have a different starting or ending area within the machine. In addition to the advantage that the harnesses provide for proper connections, the harnesses may also be made remotely and then added to the machine at a later point in production.
Simple harnesses may route the wires through the structure in parallel fashion. More complex harnesses, however, may route the wires in a more efficient manner. For example, harnesses may be designed to minimize the number of wire splices or bundles. Harness designs may need to conform to a certain set of guidelines. For example, in most applications, the size of the completed harness must fit within a certain allotted space. Additionally, there are design guidelines and standards to be followed. There may be machine-dependent standards, for example, relating to the proximity of wires to a heat source or the proximity of wires to an edge of a machine. There may also be component-dependent standards, such as limits on the bend radius associated with each wire or the number of clips. Inefficient harness routing may cause unnecessary lengths of the routing element. Further, incorrect harness routing may cause short and/or long term damage to the routing element.
Currently, much of the harness design process is done by an individual. For example, the individual may develop the harness design manually, either by manually drawing the element or manually entering the design into an electronic wiring package. In either case, the actual substance of the design process, such as the guidelines followed and the efficiencies chosen, is borne by the individual designer. One disadvantage of this process is that there is little uniformity among harnesses developed by different individuals. Further, harness designs may be inefficient. Poor designs may lead to problems with the connecting elements. Additionally, the guidelines for the individual to follow are often not centrally located. Therefore, any applicable guideline may not be followed in every harness design. Furthermore, the process is repetitive and changes in the machine often require the process to be repeated from the beginning. For example, if the shape or footprint of the machine in which the harness will be used is changed, the harness must be entirely redesigned.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems or disadvantages associated with the prior art.